Something that makes verbal abuse SO bad is that, in so many cases, it's hard to prove. Perhaps the only witnesses were siblings. Often, when the abuser wreaks his/her havoc, it's in the privacy of home. These abusers present a pleasant face to the outside world. All the scars from such a situation are emotional not physical. So, some people wonder what the problem is. They think, "I never saw you being abused. You weren't physically damaged--why can't you just put it behind you?" Of course, it's not that easy. It haunts you and undermines your self-esteem. People who perceive it as something you should magically "get over" just unwittingly compound the pain.
Having said all this, it is our job to try to move on, however unfair that seems. Our lives can't really progress if we stay mired in the sadness. We can move on, but I don't think we ever truly forget. It's more like we put the past in a box on a shelf as we proceed with a new life even though that shelf is always just over our shoulder. (Maybe it's good not to forget completely--We know, for sure, what not to do to another human being.)
Parents should think their children are at least as special as the strangers they feel compelled to be nice to!!